Meaningful Relaxation
Deep relaxation can be meaningful by itself ― not only as a means to further action or a necessary slowing-down of the mind/brain machine.
This is not about crisp-concept-based meaningfulness but pattern-based meaningfulness ― the meaningfulness of “This means a lot to me.”
Not straightforward
We are used to looking for meaningfulness in action. This is not so much a cultural thing as it is a broadly human thing. Consciously, we look for meaning outside ourselves. How could we find this if not by striving for it through action?
Yet if meaning is to be found inside oneself, deep relaxation can open the door to it.
Relaxing into meaningfulness
With access to the proper know-how, one can have the specific intention of finding a meaningful relaxation that leads one into deep contact with oneself. This can be intended consciously, but it cannot be done consciously. Like falling asleep, it needs a letting go of strictly conscious control. At night, lying awake may even be a welcome situation to practice deep relaxation ― and attain inspiration, as in my case.
Like a slow – relaxed – falling into the meaningfulness of the depth of oneself.
This is: making contact with the deeper self ― scientifically, the universe of mental-neuronal patterns of which one is not readily conscious. Eventually, this is the most meaningful thing one can do. In-depth lies the source of any meaningfulness to be experienced. One’s deeper self is the meaning-giver every time one experiences something outside as seemingly meaningful ― which it never is by itself without the meaning-giver. The meaning starts inside.
Surface-level relaxation may make this feasible. Deep-level relaxation is what it is about. Going deeper, one gets closer to meditation.
Open Mindfulness
In my book, thus titled (in the Read & Do series), you find information and practical exercises to attain an Open spirit as is needed for meaningful relaxation.
Being meaningful makes it palatable to contemplation-oriented people.
Being meaningful also makes it palatable to action-oriented people.
Meditation with a purpose
Although meditation generally does not accord with a crisp-concept-based purpose, it actually IS the realization of pattern-based purpose. It is not just about wasting time but valuable action.
Thus also meaningful relaxation on the path to meditation. One doesn’t need full meditation to start reaping results ― if, most importantly, adequately supported. The pure relaxations and sleep meditations on the AURELIS app (available on app stores) can be interesting for this purpose.
One possible worldly purpose: burnout prevention
Meaningful relaxation can realize deep motivation, thus preventing or treating burnout ― a condition crucially related to motivation and meaningfulness.
Related Posts
AureliZEN: Deep relaxation as a Foundation
[For an introduction to the AureliZen series, goto AureliZEN: a Seminar Series for Deep Growth.] Relaxation as an active force When people hear the word ‘relaxation,’ they often think of doing nothing — lounging on the couch, tuning out, escaping stress. But deep relaxation (further shortly called ‘relaxation’), the kind that recharges from the inside Read the full article…
Mindfulness, Lights and Glow
One can understand ‘mindfulness’ in two different ways, which are distinguishable from each other in the metaphor of the ‘lights’ and the ‘behind the glow.’ These two ways are even opposed at this critical point, although they are two poles that also flow into each other. • mindfulness with primary attention to the lights The underlying Read the full article…
Leadership IS Meditation
Giving attention to the broader picture without losing the value of the concrete: meditation and leadership have much in common. Management is about getting one’s own thoughts as well as those of others clearly and efficiently together. Leadership is about letting these thoughts not get in the way of discerning the ‘broad picture.’ The main Read the full article…